Clarinet in C

Hermann Wrede

ca. 1815–30 · Boxwood, ivory, brass · Musical Instruments

Hermann Wrede, who was obviously of German origin, was listed as "Mus. Wind Inst. Mkr." from 1811 and from 1837 also as "Mus. Wind Inst. & Pfte. & Importer". The firm had the address at 15th St John’s square, Clerkenwell, between 1814 and 1829. (Waterhouse, NLI, 436) Overall size: 585 Bore: c-hole 13.4; f-hole 13.4 Conical part: 110 Technical description: Boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Six pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, middle section for the fingers of the right hand, lower section with keys, bell. Long tenon ebony mouthpiece grooved for cord. English-style flask shaped barrel. Square wooden rings strengthened with pins. Speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Zig-zag F♯3/C♯5 lever guided in a rudiment of a square wooden ring. Bevelled G♯3/E♭5 touchpiece. L0: T; speaker. L1: T; throat A♮. L2: T. L3: T. L4: E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5. R1: T. R2: T. R3: T. R4: T; G♯3/E♭5. Keyhead type: flat square. Keymount type: Turned wooden rings, swelling. Inscribed on all pieces except for unstamped mouthpiece "H. WREDE / LONDON"; on bell unicorn head / H. WREDE / 15 / ST JOHNS . SQUARE / CLERKENWELL / LONDON / C" (Heike Fricke, 2014)

Artist

Hermann Wrede

Date

ca. 1815–30

Medium

Boxwood, ivory, brass

Culture

British

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

Gift of William J. Maynard, 1997